2017 Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Production Tour San Diego County Farm Bureau

1670 East Valley Parkway | Escondido, CA 92027 Friday - August 25, 2017

Self Driven Tour-Volunteer Drivers Needed for Carpooling

Tour Itinerary & Tentative Agenda: 7:00 am Registration, Continental Breakfast, Welcome and Introductions - Ramiro Lobo

and Gary Tanizaki, UCCE San Diego

7:30 am Depart for Heritage Ranch in Escondido, CA. – Tour hosted by Burnet Wohlford and Adrian Olguin

9:30 am Depart for Elk Creek Pitahaya Farm in Fallbrook, CA. – Tour hosted by Linda Nickerson and Khash Sahebjamei

11:30 am Depart for Wallace Ranch in Bonsall, CA. – Tour hosted by Julio Robles, Farm Manager with Guest Speaker Presentation by Gray Martin, Grower/Breeder

12:00 Noon LUNCH & Pitahaya Fruit and Ice Cream Tasting 12:30 am All Things Dragon Fruit – Gray Martin, Dragon Fruit Grower and Breeder

1:30 pm Tour Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Planting at Wallace Ranch 3:30 pm Depart Wallace Ranch for San Diego County Farm Bureau

4:00 pm Adjourn

Potential Topics to be Discussed/Highlighted During the Tour: • Overview of farming operations visited • Variety selection, planting, trellis and growing systems (pots vs. soils, shade vs. full sun, etc.) • Pitahaya or Dragon Fruit Irrigation and Water Quality Issues • Pitahaya Orchard Establishment & Economics Considerations • Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Pitahayas and other Specialty Crops • Pitahaya Fertility Management & fertilizer practices • Nematode Issues for Pitahaya Production

• Vertebrate Pest Management in Pitahaya Production

• Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Tasting – You are welcome to bring/donate fruit for the tasting to get feedback about quality/taste from other growers (10 pieces of fruit required per entry)

Register Online at: http://ucanr.edu/2017-pitahaya Questions: Contact Roland Hills - 858-822-7711

Erin Spaniel - 858-822-7919

2017 Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Festival/Field Day UC South Coast Research and Extension Center

7601 Irvine Boulevard | Irvine, CA 92618 Saturday - August 26, 2017

Tentative Agenda: 6:30 am Registration Opens

7:30 am Welcome & Overview of UC-SCREC – Darren Haver, Director UC South Coast REC

7:45 am Trams Depart for Field Tour – Session 1 8:00 am Stop # 1: Pitahaya Variety Trial & Germplasm Collection

Stop # 2: Pitahaya Irrigation Trial Stop # 3: Conference Room/Breezeway-Moderated by Jose Aguiar, UCCE Advisor Riverside County

9:00 am Swap Tour Stops 9:15 am Repeat Tour Stops – Session 2 10:15 am Swap Tour Stops 10:30 am Repeat Tour Stops – Session 3 (if desired) or Return to Breezeway 11:30 am End Field Tour 12:00 pm LUNCH, Pitahaya Fruit & Ice Cream Tasting (Breezeway) 1:30 pm Pitahaya Cutting Exchange – Self Service based on cutting availability, you are

welcome to bring and share cuttings with other participants 3:00 pm Adjourn Topics to be Discussed/Highlighted: • Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit Varieties, Pollen Collection and Pollination Demonstration –

Ramiro Lobo & Tony Pacheco, UCCE San Diego • Weed Identification & Weed Control Clinic – Cheryl Wilen, UCCE IPM Area Advisor • Nematode Issues in Pitahaya Production – Ole Becker, UC Riverside Nematology Specialist • Pitahaya Trellis & Irrigation Trials, Irrigation Systems Design Considerations – Gary

Tanizaki, UCCE San Diego and Jose Fernandez de Soto, Director UC Hansen REC • Vertebrate Pest Management Strategies Demonstration - Niamh Quinn, UCCE Advisor

Orange/San Diego Counties • Growing Pitahayas in your Backyard – Ed Valdivia, Grower/Pitahaya Breeder (Simi Valley)

and Linda Nickerson, Grower/Pitahaya Nursery (Fallbrook)

Register Online at: http://ucanr.edu/2017-pitahaya Questions: Contact Roland Hills - 858-822-7711 Erin Spaniel - 858-822-7919